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non-erasable chalk on the board outside the palm-lined entrance. Al and Ricky walked into a bodega and bought provisions: eggs, cans of black beans, some root vegetables, a bag of oranges, two loaves of Pan Bimbo, and two cases of Dos Equis. There was a bank down the road that ran towards the northern end of the beach past the surfer camps. This was the next stop. Ricky wanted to stop in and see Coconut Juan, so Al went to the bank on his own, and afterwards he checked out a map of the area on a bulletin board just outside Coconut Juan's, provided by the Monterico Chamber of Business. He could hear Ricky chatting with Coconut Juan. The American girlfriend was in there also, along with a young boy who was the helper.
    Mr. Lyons, come inside.
    The American girl was calling to him. Al walked inside and over to the counter. Coconut Juan was sitting on a stool looking at him. The girl was arranging some of the trinkets under the glass counter. Ricky stood next to Coconut Juan, apparently also waiting for Al. When Al reached them, he waited for some clarification of the grave looks both their faces held. Coconut Juan raised up the tablet, the Mayan reproduction Ricky had spotted and liked the day before. In the light from the street, it had the air of a holy relic, something eerie and power-ridden, as Juan held it up.
    Dees ees ahora de su hijo . You must to know because ees un peligro para mi y para ustedes tambien. Peligro. You know?
    Yeah . Corrientes peligrosas , said Al. What's up? Why is it dangerous?
    There ees men looking for thees. You eh, keep, eh, hide.
    What men?
    Los Santos Muertos.
    Look. I've been hearing about them. What is going on? How could this, this fake. . .be dangerous?
    Ees no un fake, Señor Lyons. Ees el Chocomal . The eh, key to the universo Maya. Ees. . . una cifra importantisima!
    So now it's Ricky's?
    Yeah, I knew it was good.
    Ricky picked it up and was setting to walk out of the store with it when Coconut Juan stood, leaned over the counter , and grabbed him forcefully by the shoulder.
    How much? asked Al. How much did you pay for it, Ricky?
    Fifty dollars.
    Look, no way. Give it back.
    Daaad.
    Coconut Juan let him go. He had a frenzied look on his face, still standing.
    Es que no entienden , he wailed in a bitter tone. The American girl, with a worried look on her face, looked up.
    Mr. Lyons, Juan believes his life is in danger because of that thing. All he's asking is that you take it and get it away from here. Please. Take it away.
    Why doesn't he just bury it? Hide it or something?
    He's scared they'll find it and kill him.
    I see. So if they find us , they'll kill us.
    There's that possibility.
    What is it?
    The girl threw up her hands in a gesture of futility.
    I don't know. A national treasure, I guess. Juan's very patriotic. He wants to give it to the National Museum in Guatemala City, but he's scared. He thinks everybody is working for the LSM up there in the capital. They have a lot of money, you see.
    So why don't you just dump it in the ocean?
    I've been trying to get him to do that. He just refuses. Won't go there.
    No, no dump , said Coconut Juan, waving his hands in front of him back and forth frenetically.
    Ricky was walking fast with the tablet , out the door.
    Hold it, cowboy. Let’s put a bag on that.
    What? You believe all that stuff?
    You never know. When in doubt, go with the prudent thing. Let’s not take any chances. When we get to the hotel we can figure out a place to put it.
    Um, like my suitcase?
    Maybe caution would dictate otherwise.
    We’ll talk about it later, Dad. Let’s finish the shopping and fix something to eat.
    Coconut Juan gave them a striped plastic bag and wrapped the tablet in newspaper and taped the wrapping. Ricky put the whole thing in the bag as if he were handling a fish, insisting with his body language that he was above all the subterfuge and paranoia.
    Cuidelo con su vida, muchacho.
    What’d he say?
    Take care of it.
    Mom would love this.
    A